This programme brought together a network of diverse Afghan experts and activists in exile with select non-Afghan experts and academics in order to develop policy-relevant research and reflections that respond to the complex and interlocking crises emerging in Afghanistan today. The aim of the programme was: to support the work and expertise of Afghan researchers who recently fled Afghanistan; to ensure that they are able to provide their expertise to inform contextually-appropriate international policies and practices on Afghanistan; and to deepen understanding of evolving political, security and economic dynamics.
This project seeks to foster understanding of the risks for the future of civic space arising from the ‘emergency’ framing and securitization of the climate crisis and to explore possible openings for preventing or mitigating some of these risks.
This two-year research project seeks to cover the history and current debates about non-nuclear deterrence; the idea of defensive, comprehensive or in-depth defence and what this means for manpower, equipment, and new technologies; the economic and political aspects of non-nuclear deterrence; and the implications for nuclear arms control and disarmament.
The South Sudan and Sudan programme draws upon Dr Matthew Benson’s, Raga Makawi’s and Hannah Logan’s extensive in-country networks in both Sudans. In South Sudan, we frequently collaborate with the Bridge Network of South Sudanese researchers, which is an in-country research network that was co-produced during previous LSE research collaborations in the country. Whereas in Sudan, research draws upon feminist activist networks in the country. The programme is an example of international civil society in action, with research agendas frequently driven by the research questions and demands among on-the-ground actors.
The Somalia programme draws on the long-established research networks of Dr Nisar Majid and Khalif Abdirahman and builds upon the body of work developed under the Conflict Research Programme. The aim of the programme is to develop cutting-edge research, grounded in evidence collection on the ground that contributes to policy and that brings together Somali and international researchers, research institutes and policy makers.
The Syria programme aims to understand and analyse the underlying political economy of violence with a focus on informing policy.The programme focuses on five interrelated research topics: the function and legitimacy of public authority, identity politics, economic drivers of the conflict, civicness and reconstruction.
The Ukraine programme brings together six global institutions, including the Kyiv School of Economics, and a network of researchers in Ukraine and the wider region to develop cutting-edge research, grounded in evidence collection on the ground that seeks to contribute directly to the protection of Ukrainian sovereignty and democracy.